


Trust Derived From Memories

by REYDELCASTILL0



Series: Epsilon-Fragments [2]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Canon Compliant, Epsilon-Fragments, Gen, I took some liberties with Theta, Mentioned AI Program Epsilon | Leonard Church, Mentioned Leonard L. Church | AI Program Alpha, Theta & Junior Parallels, what would I tag that as?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:08:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23022259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/REYDELCASTILL0/pseuds/REYDELCASTILL0
Summary: Tucker is mourning his friend's death and he isolates himself with nothing, but the fragments left behind. Theta tries his hardest to be Tucker's friend and makes a little surprise for him. Theta's not the original Theta, and he won't look like him, nope, but he has someone in mind he wants to look like.
Relationships: AI Program Delta & AI Program Theta (Red vs. Blue), AI Program Iota & AI Program Theta, AI Program Sigma & AI Program Theta, AI Program Theta & Lavernius Tucker
Series: Epsilon-Fragments [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1654642
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Trust Derived From Memories

It was Theta who Tucker talked to first and you could blame it on the fact that he was a kid, really. That’s what Tucker did. He had missed his own kid so much that he ended up projecting that to Theta. Theta didn’t mind that Tucker was projecting, but really, Tucker warmed up to Theta because Theta wanted him to. When you live with someone, there comes a point in time when you know how they act. Theta already had some of Epsilon’s memories (he was a fragment, there was only so much he could actually have), so he already had a head start on what Tucker was like.

But Epsilon never  _ really _ saw Tucker mourn before. Alpha did, but Epsilon wasn’t there first hand. He was told stories from Caboose and whatever he saw when he and Alpha shared  _ some _ memories. But Epsilon didn’t actually experience it, so Theta didn’t have a lot to go off, but Theta learned enough after a week. He really wanted Tucker to feel better— to  _ trust _ him. So he learned what he could, talking privately to Delta about Tucker.

It took a bit as Delta didn’t feel Theta should try to bond until a week had passed, and boy did it pass  _ slowly _ . Yeah, Theta had his siblings. All of them were in the power suit and he had so much time to talk, but Theta wanted to talk to his brothers and sister outside of the power suit and only really got to do so when Tucker was showering. Delta thought it was needless to bother Tucker, so Theta never got to play outside of the suit when Tucker  _ wasn’t _ showering.

Delta had also made everyone agree to use the armor models when trying to talk to Tucker. It’s not like any of them had picked alternative models. The original fragments (the ones they are all memories of) based their alternative models off the freelancers. At least… Most of them had. Some hadn’t picked alternative models, and it’s not like Sigma actually used the armor models.

But the Epsilon-fragments felt disconnected from that. They aren’t the Alpha-fragments, they are themselves. So a lot of them spent time figuring out what they wanted to look like. At their core, they were Church, but also not. The original Theta chose a model that was blonde and green-eyed, looking like a young Leonard Church— or a mix of the Director and Allison—, but he took after North. But Epsilon-Theta never met North Dakota, or his sister either. Epsilon doesn’t even have memories of North— only what Carolina told him.

So Theta doesn’t feel like his alternative model should be a North-Church fusion, and that’s when he decided— without Delta’s input!— what his alternative model should be. He wanted Tucker to like him— he liked Epsilon. He also… Didn’t really know anyone besides Tucker, and even then he doesn’t  _ know _ Tucker. Tucker, when he was in the suit, was scary. Really scary, especially with the Meta’s power suit, but… He also knows Tucker is nice and funny.

Theta made his alternative model a Tucker-Church fusion. He had to spend a long time on it— no he wanted to spend a long time on it. Maybe he’s not creative like Sigma, but creating still is fun! So he made his hair much darker than Church’s and much wispier. His skin is darker than Church’s too (but lighter than Tucker’s) and he kept the green eyes. He also chose small rounded glasses. Delta’s gonna use them!— Delta liked how the glasses looked on himself, and it’s not like Epsilon’s model didn’t have his own glasses. Also like Epsilon, Theta had freckles and each and every single one of them were blue or magenta. Theta also chose Sangheili markings, like the ones Tucker has.

Theta’s outfit was extremely similar to Alpha-Theta’s outfit, so it wasn’t all too special. The shirt was magenta, the cargo shorts were blue. His sneakers were mismatched though and he had on lots of bracelets (and something a lot those animal rubber bands from forever ago). His outfit was extremely similar to Alpha-Theta’s outfit, but he still would be recognizable as his own person (fragment?).

It actually looked really nice! He wanted to show his siblings, Theta really did want to, but he wanted to show Tucker first. He’s going to show Tucker! He’s excited to see how Tucker would react, but he also feels silly. What if he looks funny or he messed up the model? But he shakes that thought away. Tucker’s going to be the first person to see what he looks like, or no one is!

It was midday when Theta came out to show Tucker his model. Caboose had just left after taking Tucker some food. But all the fragments could tell Tucker wasn’t planning on eating. Not until he was starving— not even hungry, the poor man. Theta chose it was a good time to come out. Maybe he could convince Tucker to eat or to talk to other people. All the fragments have been trying to get Tucker to do something besides listening to Delta play Epsilon’s goodbye  _ over and over _ again.

“You should eat! Food’s nice,” Theta starts talking, and then he starts to lie a little, “North would always eat and talk to other freelancers! Maybe… You could, too!” He tried to sound cheerful and less like he was trying to push Tucker to talk to people. Tucker just stared at Theta, and Theta knew why. Theta lowered his head and started kicking his legs. He felt awkward, now. Maybe he should’ve just tried to keep on his armor model.

Delta, though, popped out before Tucker could say anything, and the two fragments talked. It was quick, and to Tucker, it’s just a blip, but they still talked. “I believe that this may have been unwise, Theta,” He said. It wasn’t chastising, Delta would never do that, but he still felt like yeah, maybe he did mess up.

“I know, I just thought he would like it!” Theta defended. He continued to kick his legs around, and pouted, too, like a kid who doesn’t like the situation.

“He may not be prepared to see any of us without our standard armor models. Perhaps we should have found a way to not warrant a… Shocked reaction. You could have begun by only showing your face.”

“I know…” If an AI could have mumbled, Theta would’ve.

“Oh, but you look cute, Theta!” Iota chimed in, ignoring everyone to compliment the kid AI. Theta smiled a bit, kicking his leg bashfully, as opposed to awkwardly.

“It is a very nice model, brother. You must have worked hard on it,” Sigma mentioned. He did have to agree, Theta took care in perfecting his model to the best of his ability. “I’m curious to see how Lavernius responds,” he adds.

Delta nods slowly, as if to say "let this continue", and stops projecting— as do Iota and Sigma.

After a few moments, Tucker speaks: “You… Don’t look like- like Church, you have his green eyes, yeah you have his green eyes- and,” Tucker starts to ramble, but he doesn’t tell Theta that he likes, “Are those Sangheili tattoos? Why do you have—”

“They’re like yours!” Theta smiles, hoping this means Tucker likes his alternative model. The markings were a last-minute choice. Theta was finishing his alternative model just before he and Delta projected themselves. He could see Tucker’s marks and realized he forgot about the coolest part of Tucker’s face! So he added identical ones to his own— and he’s sure Tucker has more on his body, but he’s never seen them— and he added his own original marks on his upper arm (they’re not that prominent).

Tucker stares, clearly dumbfounded, but his eyes are red. Not puffy, no, he stopped crying days ago, but he hasn’t been getting enough sleep. Theta already feels proud of himself. Tucker hasn’t really talked to the fragments (except for Delta, but it’s more an order than a conversation). Theta’s glad Tucker said something, and hopefully, he still will.

“Yeah, yeah they are, buddy. Did you make them because of me?” He sounded hopeful— and oh! He is going to talk some more.

“Mhm! Do you… Like them?” Theta also sounds hopeful. He made his alternative model with Tucker in mind the whole step of the way. Maybe he’s not Epsilon— or really any of the Churchs Tucker knew— but he knows Tucker is a  _ friend _ . 

Maybe the two of them need to establish new rules of trust, even if Tucker doesn’t plan to have Theta or any of the other fragments in his life. Maybe the two of them could never be much more than what this will turn out to be, but Theta knows he can trust Tucker. Epsilon and Alpha trusted Tucker, so he can, too. Epsilon and Alpha were Tucker’s friends, and he can be one, too. 

He may be the fragment of memories, and he’s just a part of the bigger picture (the other Epsilon-fragments being the other parts), but Tucker’s a friend, and maybe Tucker sees Theta and thinks of his son, but that doesn’t matter. Theta likes his friends—  _ he trusts them _ .

“Yeah, you know what, buddy, I do like them.”

**Author's Note:**

> At my tumblr @akingofbluejays, I post a picture of what my version of (Epsilon-)Theta looks like, if you wanna check that out!  
> Thanks for reading uvu


End file.
